Pneumatic piano.



A. N ORDEEN.

PNEUMATIC PIANO;

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13, 1907.

Patehted Nov. 10, 1908.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I N VEN TOR August N01: d e

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY.

I August Nordeen BY I A. NORDEEN.

PNEUMATIC PIANO.

APPLICATION rum) JUNE 13, 1907.

903,758. I Pateni zedNov. 10,1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WI TN E55 E5 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

A. NORDEEN.

PNEUMATIC PIANO} APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 13, 1907.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

8' SHEETS-SHEBT 3.

WITNESS S.-

INVENIOR.

ATTORNEY.

. August Nordeen.-

' UNiTED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

AUGUST NORDEEN, OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TC RAY PIANO COMPANY, OF NEW- CASTLE, INDIANA, A COPARTNERSHIP.

minimum PIANO.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST NononEN, of

Newcastle, county'of Henry, and State of- Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Pneumatic Piano; and 1 do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

m-rted and from which it is readily removed. There is one cell and pneumatic action for each key so that in repairing .or otherwise treating the device it need not all be taken apart but only the part associated with one key or string.

Another feature of the invention consists in the novel means for registering and holding in registration each group of tubes from the tracker board with the corresponding tubes leading to the pneumatic action, whereby these groups may be readily separated or united.

Another feature of the invention consists in so mounting the pneumatic action that it may be readily moved and swungfa-way to get at the strings for repairing purposes.

Another feature consists 1n the use of a single means, especially a spring for engaging the sides of two adjacent actions for holding the same in place.

These and the other features of my invention will be understood from the accompanying-drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section through a port-ion of a pneumatic piano provided with my improvements, said section being on a line immediately in front of the tracker board and music sheet, parts being broken away and only one row of the power pneulnatics being shown. Fig. 2 is a .vertioal section through the means for conmuting a series of pneumatic tubes from the tracker board with a series of tubes that lead to the power pneumatics. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2 with the wooden blocks removed and the metal portions in process of being united. Fig. 4 is a vertical section substantially on the up r .u-rt of line 14-14 Fig. 12*thr/ouh, the ey-lied and means for supporting .powea-pneu-inatics, .only one seofpower Pneumatics being shown and the whole-centrally broken away. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. ig. 6 is a vertical section through a power pneumatic on the line 66 of Fig. 4;

1g. 7 1s a plan View of a portion of a power pneumatic removed from its cell. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the-same onv the line 88 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a central vertical section of an entire power pneumatic longitudinally thereof. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9, Fig. 11 is a horizontal section on the line 11 l1 of Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a vertical section through a piano provided with my improvements, the casing of the piano being indicated by dotted lines and the parts shown in their idle position. Fig. 13 is a section through the piano action with the parts in position when a key is actuated. Fig. 14: is a sectionon the line 1 1-14 of Fig. 12 through the central portion of the piano, as shown in swung forward out of the way while tuning the piano. Fig. 15 is a central vertical section through the rear portion of the lost mo- .tion lever and the sticker above to show their action, parts being broken away.

There is shown in the drawings a key bed 21 with a sounding board 45 at the back of it and on said key bed there. is secured a key frame 22 with a balance rail 231 having a center pin 25 on which the piano key 26 is mounted. 2st is a front rail carrying a front the inner end of the key there is a capstan screw 28. A. pair of action brackets 29 are mounted vertically upon said key, bed. Near the lower end of said brackets a flange rail 30 is secured transversely and from it the flange 31 extends downward and to said flange the rocker 32 for the lost motion lever is pivoted at its rcarend, said rocker extending forward: and resting normally upon the capstan screw 28. The lost motion lever is pivoted at its rear end to the forward end of said rocker 32 and said leverat its forward end rides loosely upon the lost motion bar 65 mounted and supported by means hereinafterexplained. The action rail 38 -a flange 36 extends downwardly from it to which the rocker for the jack is pivoted near its rear end. To the forward end of said rocker the sticker 34 is pivoted and extends downward and rides upon a pad 114 Fig. 12, with a series of power pneumatics pin 27 for guiding the key at the front. On'

secured transversely of said brackets 29 and" that is seciired upon the lost motion lever 33. I A pm 113 extends downward from the lower end or" said sticker and Works in the hole in the lost motion lever so as to hold and guide said. sticker in its rocking movements. The lower end of said sticker is made convex towards the front so as to form a grooved foot as it were tore-st upon the pad 114 firmly and give to the lower end of the sticker asmooth rocking movement as the forward endof the lost motionlever is operated by the pianissimo mechanism of the piano.

The damper flange 39 extends rearwz-irdly from the upperpart of the action rail 88 and on it the damper sticker 40 is fulcrumed between its endsin a vertical position so that its lower end will beengaged and actuated by the damper spoon 41. The damper spring 42 tends to throw the upper end of the damper sticker49 rearward. The damper wire 43 entendsuipward from said damper sticker and carries on its upper end a damper 44 that is adapted; to engage the piano string 144 mounted. on the sounding board 45, in the usual way.

A jack flange (Slextends upward rocker 85 andhas mounted in it a jack 59 which is spring pressed 'by the jack spring 69. .Said engages and actuates the'hamnier butt52 which is fulcrumcd in the hammer that is secured to the action rail 88. The hammer shank 51 extends upward from said hammer butt 52 and carries a hammer 59. The hammer is held normally away from the piano string by the hammer spring, 54 that-at its lower end is mounted in connection. with the hammer butt 52 and at its upper end with the bar 152. A back check 48 is mounted on the back check wire 49 which extends ,upward from the rocker 85 for the jack and when said rocker is actuated engages the knuckle 55 on the knuckle shank 56 that extends forward from the hammer butt 52. knuckle has an opening in its lower end through which the bridle from the strap 57, extends from the hammer butt 52 to. the bridle strap wire 58 that projects upward from the rocker 85 for the jack.

'A button rail 62 is carried on arms 162 that extend forward from the action rail 38, are. said buttonrail carries the regulating tothe lower end of which the regu ton is secured that stops and regu- -.ction or" the jack 59 by enga ing e ending projection rom ler side of which the jack i -65 is carried by a rod e'mackets 29. From said u ed 165 extends up to the ,hai mer rail carried on the hammer rods 67 that are likewisefulcrumed in said brackets ,E'orward extensions 129 from said hrackejt's'"serve as stops for said hamnier rail The means for operating the foregoing described piano action pneumatically will now be described. The usual tracker bar 70 for automatic pianos is secured transversely of the bars 71 that extend upward from the tracker rail 73. The tracker tubes 72 are arranged in two groups, one for each half of the piano and each group enters an upper connecting head 14 that has a plurality. of

holes in it, one for each tube, and each tube enters one of said holes. This head is surrounded by a flanged ring 75. A lower connecting head 76 corresponding with the up per connecting head is mounted on a bracketor plate 77 secured to the key bed 21 and it has holes in it corresponding exactlywith the holes in the upper connecting head and it also has a threaded ring 78 on which the" union nut 79 screws that engages a flange on the ring 75 and whereby said connecting heads are drawn and held tightly together 'with the holes of the two properly corre sponding with each other. Fromthe lower 9 individual pneumatic action.

The groups of parts constltutlng each indivldual pneumatic action are securedto the cpnnecting head tubes 80 extend, one-to each bottom or the key bed by the grooved support blocks 81 thereon and the screws 82. The series of individual pneumatic actions is provided with end pieces 83 having at their front ends the catches or laterally projecting pins 84 that extend into the grooves of the blocks 81. There is'also a vertically slotted block 85 secured to the-outside of each end piece 83. With this construction the entire series of pneumatic actions can be slipped into place and held bythe grooved blocks 81 and screws 82 and it can he slipped out of engagement with said screws 82; Between the end pieces 83 the pneumatic key 86 is mounted on the key rail 87 having a center pin 88 extending upward therefrom. The key rail is secured to the top board89 andboth extend nearly the length of the piano. The board 89(car-' rise a fiat spring 90 for actingon said pneu-e matic key to return it to its unoperated l position. This key operates the pneumatic key rod 91 that extends up through the key bed 21 and engages the under side ofgthe rocker for the lost motion lever and actuates the same all in the same way as: the capstan screw 28 on the key26. Said pneumatic key is stopped by the upper part of a back board 92 of the cell 93. The means for actuating this pneumatic appear. y The air-tight suction cell 93 is secured to the back board 92 and at its rear end has a suction slot 95 whereby air is drawn from said cell by the foot pedal bellows, not shown. through the suction tube 96. Thelower air tube 80 enters the air passage'97 leading through the bottomof thecell near key will hereafter its forward end to the inclined front face thereof.

The pneumatic action which is insertible in I the cell just described is constructed as follows: ,There is abottom board 100 secured to the pouch board 101. The pouch board has air passages 102,103 and 104 along its lower side and also the bleed hole 204 which con- "leather pouches 107 and 108 respectively which are in the nature of diaphragms as they are flexible. Upon the pouch board 101 are space-block's 109 and 110, one on each side of the secondary pouch hole and both blocks being centrally open. Upon said spacing blocks the valve board'111 is secured. This pouch board has a large open- .ing for the secondary valve 112 and also a horizontal groove or air passage 113 leading to the front and relatively wide. This pouch board also has a small hole 114 for the stem of the primary valve and a horizontal air passage 115 therefrom that connects with the passage 116 extending downwardly through the rear spacing block 100 and which passage 116 registers with the air passage 103 in the pouch board and enters the secondary pouch hole 106;

The primary valve 117 is on the upper end of the stem- 118 the lower end of which rests on the valve thatis secured to the primary pouch 107. \Vhen the-valve 117 is pushed up it opens the air. passage 114 leading-to theair passage'115. Said valve is limited in its upward movement by a second valve 119 which when the valve is elevated closes from below the opening through which the stem passes- The secondary valve 112 has a central pin 1.20 that rests upon the metal pin 121 that is secured centrally to the secondary pouch and is guided by the arm 122 secured 'to the spacingblock'110. Said valve is limited in its downward movement by 'the 'riiig or seat In ts upward or actuated position it closes the port 124 leading into the longitu dinal air, passage 125 in the cover plate 126.

The primary valve 1.17 extends into said longitudinal air passage "125 in the cover plate and. said passage 125 communicates with the hole through which the stem of valve 117 extends;

'lhe forward end of the pouch board 101, the va-lve board 111 and the cover plate 126 i l are beveled or inclined and to them the front 3 plate 128 is secured. The plate 128 has a smallair passage 129 communicating with the air passage 97 in the bottomboard 100 i I and theair passage 102 to the primary pouch in the pouch board 101. There is also a port130 registering with the air passage .113 in the valve board 111= and above it another port 131 registering with the air passage 125 in the cover plate 126-. To said front plate what 1 term the power pneumatic is secured. It consists of a base plate 132 which is secured to the front plate 128 and to it a small bellows 133 is secured. In the plate l32'thereis a lower port 131 entering the bellows chamber and registering with the lower air port 130 in the front plate 128. In said plate 132 there is also an upper port 135 registering with the upper air port in the front plate 128 and communicating with the outside air. To the lower or actuating end of the bellows a slotted plate or arm 136 is secured which engages the lower end of the pneumatic key actuating rod 137 in such a manner that when air is exhausted 74 and 76, tube 80, air passages '97, 129 and 102, all of which constitute really one unbroken air passage, the primary )ouch 107 will be raised and the primary v. ve 117 be elevated whichopens the upper part of the hole 114: through which the valve stem extends and lets in outside air through the air passage 115 in the valve board 111, air passage 116 in the spacing block 109 and air passage 103 in the pouch board. toa point below the secondary pouch 108. This atmospheric air elevates the secondary pouch and consequently the secondary valve 119 closes the port 121 leadingto the air passage 125-, thus shutting off communication with-theoutside air through the ports 135 and 131 and air passage 134 to the bellows. When this occurs the bellows is actuated or collapsed by reason of suction exerted on the bellows through ports 134 and 130 and air passage way 113, the port through the valve seat. 123, the space between the pouch board 101 and the valve board 111, suction slot 95 at the rear of the cell and suction tube 96 from which the air is drawn by pedal bellows, not shown. WVhen this suction occurs and the bellows 133 actuated, the pneumatic key-will be actuated thereby.

Vhen the hole-in the tracker board is closed by the music sheet 200, the a'ir'passages leading to the primary and secondary dlaphragm pouches are vented, the primary there is an individual cell and pneumatic action for each string of the piano. The pneumatic actions for the several strings are side by side and adjacent each other and I provide a single means-for securing the adjacent edges of the pneumatic actions in place in-their cells. This consists of a spring plate 138 which overlaps the edges of two adjacent base plates 132 of the bellows and said spring plate'is held in place by a single screw entering the inclined face of one of the cells. By removing two of these spring pneumatic actions, and a separate suction cell in which each pneumatic action is secured.

2. In a pneumatic piano, piano strings a pneumatic action for ealch string of the pianofand a separate suction cell in which each pneumaticaction is removably secured. 3. In ,a pneumatic piano, a plurality of pneumatic actions, a series of cells in which.

said pneumaticactions are individually secured, and a suction tube that communicates with said cells. i

4:. In a pneumatic piano, a suction cell.

. 2 auction opening at one end thereof,

and a eneumatic action insertible into said cellthr ough the other end thereof. 46

5. In a pneumatic piano, a plurality of pneumatic. actions, a separate suction cell for each pneumatic action, said suction cells being above each other in series, and single means forsecuring the adjacent edges of .two pneumatic actions to the partition between the cells.

6. In a pneumatic piano, a plurality of oneumatic actions a suction cell for each means at the forward end thereof for pivpneumatic action, said -suction cells being besidev each other 1n series, and a spring plate and screw forsecuring adjacent edges of two pneumatic actions to the partitions of the cells.

7. lna pneumatic piano, the combination with a key bed, of a pneumatic,mechanism,

otallyconnecting the same with the under side of the key. bed, and means for remov-,

ably supporting the rear part of said pneumatic mechanism to said key bed.

8. In a pneumatic piano, the. combination,

with akey bed provided on iiliQ-lllldfil side with a pair of oppositely located .channels extended from front to rear, of a pair of headed screws to the rear of said channels,

a pneumatic mechanism, pins securedto the forward portion ofsaidpneumatic mechan- 9. In a pneumatic piano, a pneumatic action including a horizontally disposed valve box with a beveled front end, a power pneumatic secured to such front end and incommunication with the chambers of the valve box, apneumatic key above the power pneumatics, anda connection between the forward lower end of the power pnenmaticand the pneumatic key above, whereby the latter is actuated substantially as set forth.

10. In a ,neumatic piano, a pneumaticaction, inclu ing a substantially horizontal valve box with a beveled front end, a-power pneumatic secured to such beveled front end and communicating with the chambers of the valve box, a pneumatic key, a rod depending from the key, andmeans connected with the lower front end of the-power pneumatic for detachably engaging the lower end of said key rod whereby when the power pneumatic is contracted, the key will be actuated. Y r

11. In a pneumatic piano, a neumatic ac.- tion including a substantial y horizontal valvebox with-a beveled end, and chambers with two outlet openings at the front end, a power'pneumatic secured to saidfront end,

. a .passagewayfrmn-oneof the openings. in

said valve box through the power pneumatic to'the open air, and, a passageway from the other opening inthe valve box to the; chamber within the power pneumatic, substantially as set forth.

12. In a pneumatic piano, a'pneumatic action including asuction cell, an air tube connected therewith, a valve box insertible will said cell with a passageway leading from isaid tube, to the forward end, a power pneu-- mat-ic secu-red to the forward endof said valvebox with passage therethrough, a primary-pouch in said valve box with a bleed. hole outlet therethrough, and a passagcway to said primary valve pojich from said passagewayof thepower pneumatic.

13. In a'pneumatic piano, a series of stationarysuction cells in vertical and horizontalrows, a ,valve box .removably insert-- ible iin each cell,- a power pneumatic secured to the-forward cnd'of'each .valve box, a

pneumatickey for each power pneumatic, and connections whereby. each power pneumatic actuates its corresponding pneumatickey. V

14. in a pneumatic piano, a series of sucby side with an air port at the rear of each, a sin 1e suction 'tube for said series of cells, a va ve 'box removablyinsertible in each cell, a power pneumatic secured to the front end of each valve box, a pneumatic k'y for each power pneumatic, and connections whereby the 1Igower pneumatic operates its corresponding In'witness whereof, I have hereunto aifixed 10 my signature in the presence of the Witnesses herein named. i AUGUST NORDEEN.

Witnessesz' N. ALLEMONG,

OLIVE BREEDEN. 

